


Save Me If I Become My Demons

by stupidfinewriterchick



Category: Red vs. Blue
Genre: Angst, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Angst with a Happy Ending, Blood and Violence, Doc Has Abandonment Issues, Doc Needs a Hug, Gen, Intrusive Thoughts, Mental Health Issues, Minor Violence, O'Malley is a jerk, PTSD, Platonic Relationships, Post Season 13, ProteCT HIM PLEASE, Wash tries to help, split personality
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-06
Updated: 2020-03-06
Packaged: 2021-02-28 22:28:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,206
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23034769
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/stupidfinewriterchick/pseuds/stupidfinewriterchick
Summary: “Why are you so afraid I’m going to leave?”“Because everyone else has at some point in this goshforsaken team!”
Relationships: Frank "Doc" DuFresne & Agent Washington, Frank "Doc" DuFresne & O'Malley | AI Program Omega
Comments: 12
Kudos: 60





	Save Me If I Become My Demons

**Author's Note:**

> So yeah this was a little bit rushed and a kind of a mess and probably OOC, but I had to get it out of my system and I don’t feel like editing it further so here you go: an angsty Docington for the soul because I wanted more fic for these two and I just want Doc to be safe and loved and included. T_T

The shots come out of nowhere.

“Get down!” Agent Washington yells, grabbing Doc’s shoulder and shoving him to the ground. Doc gasps, trying to find his bearings as gunfire rains down over his head. They’re behind some kind of boulder, just large enough for the two of them to stand in cover.

“Where did _they_ come from?” Doc cries, voice cracking with fear.

“Must have been a trap!” Washington barks through gritted teeth.

The ex-freelancer keeps his back to the boulder, weapon raised. Taking a deep, calming breath, he swings out and fires a few rounds before ducking back to cover.

“I count two,” he says.

“Two?” Doc repeats. He crouches low, keeping himself as close to the ground and taking up as little room as physically possible. “Who are they?”

“Can’t tell,” is the answer before Washington leans out and shoots again.

The gunfire rings in Doc’s ears, just above his head, shrill and overwhelming and _loud loud loud loud…_

A shock of ones and zeroes streams through his brain, remnants of cold laughter reverberating through his skull.

Oh no…

Not now!

Not

_Him._

**Well, well,** says O’Malley. **This is a fine situation you’ve gotten yourself into.**

Doc shakes his head, trying to rid himself of the voice that’s his own, but not his own.

“Nonono!” he hisses. “Leave me alone!”

**Oh, but admit it: you’re _glad_ to have me around again! It makes you feel less… lonely.**

Doc cringes but stands his ground.

“Why is it that you’re silent literally _all day_ ,” he whispers, “and then the _moment_ I’m in danger, you show up and try to distract me?”

 **I’m not _distracting_ you! **O’Malley sniffs indignantly. **I’m trying to _help_ you!**

His answer catches Doc off-guard.

“Wait… what?”

Doc pictures the code bouncing in his head as O’Malley laughs again.

**You fool! You would never survive on your own! You _need_ me.**

Doc sputters.

“I do _not!_ ”

**Oh yes you do. Or have you forgotten that _I’m_ the only reason you managed to survive when you were trapped in that other dimension?**

Doc frantically shakes his head.

“Shush! Go away! I don’t _want_ you here!”

**And how exactly do you plan on getting rid of me?**

“Doc!”

Doc jumps at the sharp cut of Washington’s voice. He looks up at the agent.

“Can you see anything?” Washington asks.

Trembling, Doc peeks around the edge of the boulder.

“No—no I can’t see them!”

“Dammit,” Washington mutters. “I can’t get a clear shot.” He reloads his rifle. “Okay,” he says, sounding like he’s trying to psyche himself up. “I’m going to draw their fire so you can take them out—” He pauses and turns back to Doc, eyeing the medical scanner with doubt. “You _do_ know how to fire a pistol, right?”

O’Malley laughs maniacally.

Doc gulps.

“I… well y-y-yes, but—”

“Good.”

Washington retrieves his magnum from its holster and holds it out to the medic. Doc hesitates, then accepts the weapon with shaking hands.

“When they fire at me,” Washington explains, “you take the shot.”

“B-but—” Doc stammers. He flinches as a barrage of bullets cracks against the boulder’s side. “I know how to fire a gun, but that doesn’t mean I can make the shot!”

“You’ll be fine.”

**You won’t be.**

Doc flinches.

“Wait! I don’t know if I can do this—”

“Frank!”

Doc’s head snaps up, surprise at hearing his given name. People so rarely used it these days.

Wash leans forward and claps a hand on his shoulder.

“I need you, okay?” he says, and his tone is full of sincerity. “You can do it. Just… just try your best.”

Doc bites his lip.

He nods once.

“O-o-okay,” he says. “I’ll… I’ll try.”

Wash nods back, then turns away. He pauses, gun at the ready, chest rising and falling as he steels himself for his next action. 

Doc rises to his feet, keeping his head low, and presses himself against the boulder, getting ready to make the shot.

**You’ll never hit your target.**

“Go _away!_ ” he whispers. “I need to concentrate!”

“Doc,” Wash says. “Are you okay?”

**Muahahaha, far from it.**

“I’m great!” Doc squeaks.

“Okay…” Wash says uncertainly. “Moving on three…”

**Why don’t you let me do it for you?**

“One…”

Doc’s heart is racing.

“Two…”

**Just let me out!**

“Three!”

Washington runs.

Doc gasps and leans out around the boulder as far as he dares.

Fire follows in the agent’s wake.

Doc aims with the magnum.

His hands shake.

**Just let me _doooo iiiiiiiit!_**

He sees a flicker of the merc’s helmet.

And he panics.

A rush of code swarms over his brain.

He fires.

And the merc falls.

 **“Haha!”** O’Malley laughs through Doc’s lips. **“Bullseye!”**

“Yay!” Doc exclaims, breathless. “We did it!”

 **“You did nothing _fool!_** **I did all the work!”**

“It was still _teamwork!_ ” Doc insists.

**“Oh, whatever. That’s one down… only two to go!”**

“Yeah—wait…” Doc’s eyes widen. “Two?”

**“Of course! We must kill Agent Washington as well!”**

“What?! No! We can’t do that!”

**“And why not?”**

“See, this is _exactly_ why I didn’t want to let you out! Wash is my friend!”

O’Malley gives another derisive laugh.

**“Your _friend?_ Oh _please!_ Since when have your so-called ‘ _friends_ ’ ever cared about you?”**

Doc flinches, gut tightening as if he’d been punched.

“Shut up!”

**“They don’t _really_ care about you! They’re just _using_ —” **

With a frantic snap of his thoughts, Doc reels O’Malley back in and imagines slamming a door to keep him contained.

**Buzzkill.**

**You can’t contain me forever.**

Shaking, Doc leans against the boulder, shoulders slumped.

“Nice shot, Doc!”

Doc jumps, looking up as Washington rounds the corner and hurries to his side.

“Are you okay? Were you hit?”

“N-n-no!” Doc answers hastily, straightening up. “I’m fine!”

Did he hear O’Malley? Does he know?

The agent tilts his head upon getting a good look at the medic.

 **You can’t trust him!** O’Malley says frantically. **If he knows I’m still here, he’ll hurt you to try and get to me!**

“Are you sure you’re—” Washington begins.

“Yes!” Doc says a little too quickly. He swallows hard and quickly searches for a different subject. “What about the supplies we came for?”

**Wow, that was _soooo_ convincing.**

_Shut up!_ Doc thinks.

Washington sighs.

“Might have to wait for another day. I’m starting to think this was all just a setup.”

Doc’s chest squeezes.

“Who do you think they were?”

“Stragglers of Hargrove’s mercenaries,” Washington answers immediately. “I was able to get a better look at their armor.”

“But what are they—”

A shot rings out.

Doc screams.

Washington spins the medic around behind him and fires, but the merc is already gone.

“Dammit!” Wash yells. “Where’d he go?”

“W-W-Wash?”

Doc’s voice is little more than a whine as he stumbles back against the bolder. Wash turns just in time to see the medic clap a hand over his stomach. Red blossoms beneath it, flowing over purple.

“Oh no—”

Wash catches Doc as he keels to the side.

“AhhhaaaahhhhHH!”

Doc bites his tongue to keep himself from screaming as Wash gently lowers him to the ground.

“Dammit!” Wash repeats. He reaches over Doc and grabs the medical scanner, turning it over in his hand. “How does this thing work?”

“F-f-four—” Doc gasps.

“What’ll that do?”

“Staunch—bleeding—”

Pistol raised at the ready in one hand, Washington holds the scanner close to his visor with the other. Dialing the setting to the fourth notch, he points it at the wound and pulls the trigger.

Doc yelps in discomfort before gritting his teeth and forcing himself to stay still. Above him, Washington turns his head from side to side, keeping his eyes peeled for signs of the second mercenary.

“Ah!” Doc cries, skin tingling as the scanner hardens it around the wound.

“Oh, hey!” Wash says, searching for a topic to distract the medic. “I remember that! You used this thing to patch me up at Sidewinder.”

“Oh,” says Doc. “Yeah, I guess I did, haha.”

“Tell me how it works,” Wash presses.

Talking is a little easier now they he isn’t bleeding out so much, but his abdomen still hurts. He can feel the bullet lodged between his ribs. Doc wracks his brain, pushing through the fuzziness of the pain and the stray ones and zeroes still floating around, trying to resurface.

“Well, uh, it doesn’t actually _heal_ anything,” he explains. “It just… it helps the blood clot faster as you wait for a _real_ doctor to patch you up.” He winces. “Also, given the fact that it’s, uh, it’s actually alien technology, it’s probably best I don’t go into _too_ much detail about how it works. Yeah. You don’t wanna know.”

**Muahaha… all those lovely plasma emissions and radioactive isotopes. Does _wonders_ for the cellular structure…**

“Oh,” is all Washington has in answer. “Uh, well, I guess that’s… good?” He chuckles awkwardly. “Well, as good as it can be I guess. The bullet’s still in there: we’re gonna need a professional to get that out…”

“Heh, yeah.” Doc grunts. “That should be enough for now—”

Wash lowers the scanner. He’s distracted as he helps Doc sit up and lean with his back to the boulder, head still turned, anticipating an attack.

As soon as Doc is settled, he turns back to look at the medic.

“Doc,” he begins softly, keeping his voice level. “I’m sorry, but… I’m gonna need to go after that last merc.”

It takes a few shuddering breaths for Wash’s words to fully register. Then Doc’s eyes widen, and he looks up at the agent, horrified.

“W-what?” he gasps. “You’re… leaving?”

“If I don’t go after him, he’s just going to come right back to try and finish the job. I need to find him first.”

“But…” Doc begins. “What if he finds _me_ first?”

Washington reaches behind his back, then pulls out a stealth unit, holding it out for Doc to see.

“This still has some juice in it,” he explains. “It should be enough to keep you hidden.”

“‘Should be?’” Doc repeats. “What if it’s not?”

“It will be.”

“You just changed your story!”

“Listen to me, Doc.” Washington puts a hand on his shoulder. “I’m sorry. I don’t _want_ to leave you here, but I need to find that other merc before he can do any more damage.”

Doc’s breath is short, but he knows Wash is right.

“Wait!”

Doc grabs a hold of Washington’s wrist, surprisingly strong as he holds the man in place.

“Y-y-you’re not just gonna leave me here, right?”

Code dances behind his eyes. Desperation claws up the back of his throat, but he swallows it down.

_Stay calm._

_Stay calm!_

“You’re coming back for me… r-r-right?”

Wash tilts his head, caught off guard by the genuine fear in the other man’s voice.

“Of course I’m coming back for you,” he says. “Why wouldn’t I?”

Doc trembles.

“You promise?”

Wash considers him for a long moment before answering.

“I promise. I’m coming back for you.”

Doc closes his eyes. He nods, releasing the agent’s wrist.

Washington sets the stealth unit in his trembling hands.

“I won’t be long,” he says. “Activate the unit now.”

Doc obeys, watching as the light refracts around his hands, rendering them near-invisible.

When he looks up again, Washington is already gone.

Whimpering, Doc hugs the stealth unit against his chest. His abdomen hurts so much he can hardly take a breath without it paining him. He rests his head back against the boulder and forces himself to breathe as slow as possible.

In through the nose, out through the mouth.

In through the nose, out through the mouth.

In through the nose—

_Don’t panic don’t panic don’t panic don’t panic don’t—_

**You FOOL!**

Doc jumps at O’Malley’s intrusive thoughts.

**If you had just _let me take care of things_ , we wouldn’t be in this mess!**

Doc winces and screws his eyes shut.

 _I’m sorry!_ he thinks. _I couldn’t trust you!_

**I’m the ONLY one you can trust! You’re a fool for trusting Agent Washington!**

_Go away!_

**You let me out to play, so now I’m here to stay.**

_So what, you talk in rhymes now?_

**Maybe I am. It sounds more… _evil_ … wouldn’t you agree?**

_Please, just leave me ALONE!_

**He’s not coming back for you, you know. Agent Washington left you here to die.**

_No…_

**Oh, yes he did. You’ve lost too much blood. The Freelancer took one look at you and decided you weren’t worth the trouble.** **He left you here to bleed out and die because there’s nothing he can do.**

_That’s not true!_

**You’re useless. Deadweight.**

Doc’s throat constricts.

What if… O’Malley… is right? With this injury, he’s just deadweight. He’ll just drag Wash down. What if Wash decides he’s not worth the trouble? What if the merc is too fast and Wash decides to save himself? What if—

Doc shakes himself. No… No! Wash is coming back! He _promised!_

 **Fool!** O’Malley chuckles. **Why would Washington _ever_ come back for you? I’m the only one who hasn’t left you!**

_But you did! You abandoned me too, remember?_

**If that is the case, then why am I still here?**

_You aren’t! You’re just a shadow! You’re just in my head!_

**I’ve always been in your head, and I’ll always _be_ in your head. You can’t escape me.**

Doc twists the stealth unit between his hands, trying to focus on where his hands should be, and not on the nagging voice in his head.

**Freak.**

Doc flinches.

_Stop it!_

**You’re useless. Nobody cares about you.**

Doc squeezes his eyes shut, trying to stop the tears from leaking out.

_Please… stop…_

O’Malley just laughs.

**You’re so pathetic. You can’t even win an argument with yourself!**

Doc suppresses a sob.

**You’re not important.**

_STOPSTOPSTOP—_

Footsteps crunch on his left, and Doc’s attention snaps towards it.

The merc stands a few feet away, machine gun in hand, turned just slightly away from the medic.

“I know you’re here you little rat!” the man hisses. “Where are you?”

Doc nearly chokes on his own tongue as he suppresses a scream. White fear freezes in his chest. He wants to yell for Washington. Help! Over here!! The merc is _right here!!!_

But he can’t.

He can’t run.

Can’t move.

Can’t make a sound.

Can’t do anything.

**Wait—WAIT FORGET WHAT I SAID! Just let me out! I can—we can take him!! _Together!!!_**

Doc has never heard O’Malley sound so desperate.

So… _scared._

But he knows this is a fight he can’t win, not even with O’Malley.

_We can’t, roomy. I’m too weak._

For a moment, there is only silence.

Then the merc turns.

Looks straight at Doc.

“Gotcha!” he sneers.

**Well I hope you’re happy then. This is where we finally die.**

Doc closes his eyes.

_He doesn’t want to die he doesn’t want to die HE DOESN’T WANT TO DIE_

A shot rings out.

Doc’s heart stops and his eyes fly open.

The merc stand motionless over him.

Then

he falls

into a heap at Doc’s feet.

Washington stands behind him, gun smoking.

**Oh good. _Him._**

“W-Wash?” Doc sobs.

Washington rushes forward and drops to his knees at Doc’s side.

“You came back!” Doc breathes, barely able get the words out.

“Of course I did.” His hands find Doc’s shoulders. “Are you okay? Did he hurt you?”

“I’m f-fine!” he gasps, grabbing at Wash’s arms.

“Thank God,” Washington says. “Okay listen, I’ve managed to radio back to Armonia. A rescue team is on its way.”

Doc stares up at him.

“Rescue team?” he repeats.

Washington nods.

“They’ll be here soon, but until then, we’ve got to lay low. I’m afraid one of those mercs might have sent out a distress signal. ”

**Convenient. Don’t you think?**

Doc stiffens.

**More enemies possibly on the way? And that’s _twice_ he’s left you now. How long do you think Agent Washington will stay with you _this_ time?**

Doc finds himself overwhelmed by a sense of urgency. He presses his back against the boulder and tries to push himself up to his feet, push past the angry fire of the bullet still lodged in his gut.

“Ok-kay!” he gasps. “Then let’s get out of here!”

“Wait stop!” Wash grabs at Doc and tries to push him back down. “You shouldn’t walk!”

“I can though!” Doc cries desperately. “See?”

He wrenches himself out of Washington’s grip and tries again to drag himself to his feet.

“I can walk! I can! I can—”

He gasps, cringing backwards as the pain threatens to rip out of his side. He stumbles and Wash catches him.

“Doc, you’re in _no_ condition to go anywhere!”

“I can do it! If you just help me up, I can walk! I can carry my own weight!”

“Doc, what are you—”

“Don’t leave me Wash! I’m sorry I got shot! I’m sorry! Just please don’t leave me again! Please don’t leave me! Please don’t leave me _please don’t leave_ —” _ERROR ERROR ERRO//R E <R>RO 01010010_ _01000101 01010010 01010010 01001111 01010010 01000001 01001000 01000001 01001000 01000001_ **AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA _aaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhh_ —”**

“FRANK!”

Washington yanks off Doc’s helmet.

“Look at me, Frank!”

He rips off his own helmet and tosses it to the side.

And then the two of them are face to face.

Washington takes in the sight of the man before him, eyes wild and frantic behind cracked glasses, sweaty hair stuck to his forehead, tear tracks staining his cheeks.

Wash’s hands clamp down on Doc’s shoulders.

“You know I wouldn’t just leave you here!” he says.

Doc trembles, wanting to pull away from Wash’s hold and yet desperate to lean into it.

“What’s wrong?”

**What have you done??? You’ve screwed everything up _again!_**

Doc flinches back, out of Washington’s hold.

“I’m sorry!” he whimpers, looking away. “Just ignore me! Forget I said anything! I’m f—”

“Do _not_ say you’re fine!” Washington’s voice becomes stern. “Something is clearly bothering you! What is it?”

“N-n-n-nothing!”

Wash tilts his head, trying to look into his eyes. Doc refuses to meet them.

“Why are you so afraid I’m going to leave you?” Washington asks softly.

And something in Doc’s chest cracks.

**ABORT ABORT _ABORT ABORT_**

“Because everyone else has at some point in this goshforsaken team!”

The words spill out of Doc’s mouth before he can stop them, and now he can’t take them back.

**Good going you moron. Now he knows what a pathetic creature you really are.**

Doc cringes back.

“I know I’m not a fan favorite!” He’s babbling now, but he can’t stop. “Everybody loves you and Caboose and Grif and Simmons... heck, people loved Church and all he ever did was yell at people! But I... I’m just... I’m just…”

Oh _gosh_ , he’s just a fool.

O’Malley laughs, but his heart’s no longer in it.

“ _I just wanted be one of you guys._ ”

Doc doubles over, consumed with pain and guilt and fear and desperation because he doesn’t want to be left behind. _Please please please don’t leave him behind again…_

Washington can only stare at the man before him, an expression of horror on his face.

“Doc—” he begins, and Doc can’t identify the tone. Is it disgust? Annoyance? Oh gosh, he’s screwed _everything_ up and now Washington is going to hate him too!

**God, you’re so pathetic.**

“Shut up,” he whispers.

**You are though.**

He is.

He’s pathetic.

He’s an utter _fool_.

He buries his face in his hands.

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry…”

The world abruptly rushes around him, and the next thing Doc knows, Washington’s arms are wrapped around him, and he’s crushed against the agent’s chest.

“I’m sorry, Frank,” Wash whispers thickly. “I’m so, _so_ sorry. I’m not going to leave you again. I promise, I _promise!_ ”

**E-E-E-Error… <???>**

**What…**

**What is he doing?**

Washington has one arm wrapped securely around Doc’s waist, while his opposite hand cradles the back of Doc’s head, somehow managing to hold him without jostling his injury.

For a moment, Doc can only stare past him, stiff with shock.

Then, slowly, hesitantly, he relaxes into Wash’s hold, his own arms snaking up to wrap around the agent’s middle.

“I know what it’s like to be left behind,” Wash whispers. “I know what it’s like to feel like you’re the least important person on your team. I’m so sorry, Frank. I’m sorry we did that to you too.”

Doc’s breath hitches.

This is too much.

A sob breaks out of him before he can contain it. Tears stream from his eyes and he can’t stop. He can’t stop.

**No… don’t do that!**

_But he can’t stop._

And Doc _weeps._

And Washington cradles him, his arms a strong barrier of protection. He holds Doc and lets him cry, and everything comes spilling out. His pain. His fear. Anger. Regret. Guilt. _Longing_.

**ERROR ERROR ERROR ERROR.**

**STOP**

**STOP _PLEASE_**

**_IT HURTS IT HURTS IT HURTS._ **

Doc whimpers as O’Malley begins to spiral, the remnant AI bleeding into him, and he into the AI. Two corpses in one grave, two fragments of one mind, so contrasted he’s afraid he’s going to tear himself apart and freefall into the yawning oblivion.

“Frank!”

Washington’s voice cuts through the chaos like a knife. Doc gasps and clutches at him as if he were a lifeline. He tilts his head back to look up at the other man and is pierced by tired eyes, full of concern.

“Frank?” Washington repeats.

Doc blinks.

“David?”

Wash hesitates.

“Has…” He pauses. Starts again. “Is Omega… talking to you? I mean… is he… _hurting_ you?”

 **Don’t tell him anything!** O’Malley cries, fear bleeding through the forced anger. **He’s going to hurt you to get to me! He’s going to hurt us! He’s g-g-going going eRROR ERRO//R ER—**

Doc winces and buries his face in Washington’s chest.

“I can’t get him to leave.”

He feels Wash nod, even as O’Malley’s fear swells and threatens to overwhelm them both.

“That’s… what I thought.”

Code swirls around his brain, and Doc can do nothing to stop it. But then Agent Washington rests his chin on the top of Doc’s head and…

Everything

just

 _freezes_.

O’Malley trembles.

Terrified.

But…

he waits.

“Look… it might not be my place, but…” Wash hesitates. “If… if it ever gets… _bad_ … or if you even just need to talk about… _anything_ … well, my door is always open to you.”

Doc sniffs and wipes his eyes.

“I mean,” Wash continues. “Omega— _O’Malley_ —was a part of you, just as Epsilon was… was a part of _me_.”

Doc stiffens.

 _Epsilon_.

Of course.

How could he have forgotten?

Washington knows.

Washington...

 _...understands_.

Church… _Epsilon_.

O’Malley… _Omega_.

All of them, pieces of...

Alpha.

 **The Alpha,** O’Malley whispers. **_Creator_**.

Alpha is dead. So is Epsilon. And so is...

O’Malley.

 **But I’m still a part of you!** O’Malley insists. **I’m still here! You can’t escape me!**

Doc sighs.

_I know you are, Roomy._

“Thank you, Wash,” he says aloud. “I… I will definitely take you up on that offer.”

**Traitor.**

“See,” he continues. “I know he’s more scared then anything.”

**I am _not!!!_**

“And he tries to cover it up by being mean all the time.”

**I resent that.**

Wash chuckles.

“Yeah, that sounds about right.”

“Wash,” Doc adds. “Did Epsilon ever...? I mean after…?”

Washington sighs.

“No. He never… _talked_ , per se. But I heard him. His memories. All the time. His pain. His fear. His guilt. Even when Church was back, I could still hear him in my head... echoes of pain and fear that weren’t my own. Memories from a life I had never lived.”

Doc nods.

“Heh, guess we’re two of a kind, huh?”

“I guess we are.”

Wash hugs Doc closer, fingers brushing through his hair.

“You _are_ one if us, Doc. I’m sorry for how we’ve treated you in the past.”

Doc relaxes into Wash’s hold.

“We’re gonna make it out if this, okay? We’re not leaving you behind. Not ever again.”

Doc considers this.

“Do you have anything to say to that, O’Malley?” he asks.

**I…**

**I…**

**I don’t know what to say.**

Doc takes a deep breath.

_Then… just rest._

**< …>**

_We’re okay._

**< …>**

_We’re safe._

**< …>**

**< …>**

**< …>**

**Okay.**

Doc shudders as finally, _finally_ , the ones and zeroes disperse. They tuck themselves away in the corners of his mind. Not gone, but for now, at peace.

O’Malley rests.

“How’s it looking, Doc?” Washington asks.

Doc sighs with relief.

“He’s resting now.”

“Good. That’s good. You should rest too.”

Doc relaxes in Washington’s arms.

“Okay.”

For a long while, neither of them say anything, and eventually, Doc falls into a doze, overcome with exhaustion.

The next thing he knows, soft fingers are running through his hair. And when he opens his eyes, he finds himself looking up into the smiling face of Private Donut.

“Hey, Frank!” the man says softly. “How’re you feeling?”

“Delano?” Doc laughs, then winces with pain. “I’ve been better…”

The next thing he notices is the medical officers scanning his injuries.

The _next_ next thing he notices is that Washington is still holding him. Doc tilts his head to look up again at the agent, who in turn smiles down at him.

“Heh,” says Doc. “You’re still here.”

“I’m still here,” Wash says. “Now let’s get you home.”

**Author's Note:**

> Title inspired by this song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HpCHsO6cwx8


End file.
